You're Going To Get Caught Stalking: These Apps Will Give You Away

Oh cell phone snooping ... It's a very modern pickle. While technology has created the possibility for great things, it has also created the possibility for sucky things, like snooping.

We all leave our phones unattended sometimes, but have you ever wondered if people are spying on you?

Some important snooping stats:

According to a survey last year by the gadget shopping site Retrevo, which queried more than 1,000 people online:

Among those under 25, almost half reported snooping.

When it came to partners who snooped, only 9% discovered evidence of cheating.

33% of dating couples and 37% of spouses say they have checked their partner's email or call history on the sly.

Whether you suspect a snoopy partner or want to catch a thief, these apps were specifically designed to help catch the snoop in action.

Looky-Looky app

Looky-Looky keeps your privacy on your iPhone, protects from unauthorized access even without the Touch ID and convicts people by photo evidence who want to access your iPhone in your absence (e.g. while you are sleeping or having a shower).

Lock Cam

Lock Cam is a new free feature, part of "Lookout Security & Antivirus for Android," app on Google Play. If someone enters the lock screen password incorrectly three times, Lock Cam silently takes a picture and emails it to you, along with the device’s location.

Catchr

Catchr does one thing, and it does it pretty well. Once you install the app and quit all of the apps you have running, Catchr will record all of the most basic activity on your phone, namely which apps are opened and closed. (It doesn't work on the Mail app due to App Store rules.) It will also tell you if your phone has been moved and show you where on a map.

So if you think someone's tampered with your phone, you can just check Catchr to see what they did. It's helpful if you can remember the last thing you did on your phone. Also be aware that it doesn't work so well in groups, since you can't know exactly who did the snooping. For that, you'll need to catch a friend in a one-on-one situation.

GotYa! Face trap!

This standalone app provides the same functionality with a few bells and whistles. The app can be controlled from another phone via text message—even turned on, if you’re like me and have kids who are constantly trying to unlock your phone. You also have more control over how many failed log-in attempts are permitted before it starts taking photos and tracking location.

Who Snooped

"Who Snooped" is an iPhone app, that after it’s activated, if anyone slides the unlock-screen button - boom - the app takes a picture of them and a message pops up that says “Stop Snooping.” It costs a dollar on iTunes.

The Hidden Eye app

This app is for Android and works the same way. It snaps a picture of anyone who incorrectly enters your passcode. You can also put the app in stealth mode, so the snooper has no idea that you caught them in the act.

But what if you want to know exactly what someone wanted to see on your phone?

The iTrust app

This app records a video of the snooper’s every move on your phone, like them opening your text messages, or photos. It costs a buck on iTunes.

Final Thoughts

While it may be tempting to use an app to catch someone in the act, consider what Dr. Terri Orbuch a research scientist at the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan says regarding partner snooping:

"Whether we refer to a person’s private diary or electronic messages, snooping constitutes a betrayal of trust, and trust is an essential ingredient in any relationship. If you feel the urge to snoop, you should ask yourself whether you want the relationship to last. Two wrongs don't make a right when it comes to relationships. In addition, what if you spy and don't find the suspected bad behavior? Do you then reveal what you've done? Most likely, you keep it a secret, and that’s what you were concerned about in the first place."

So, whether you're snoopy, snooped, or both, - - ask yourself whether this is really the way to go if indeed you do suspect a partner of behaving badly.